Weaning time approaches

The breastfeeding continues! My plan is to continue through the holidays and then begin weaning Aiden starting January 4th. This way I can make the most of my time off from work with Aiden and can drop a feed my first day back to work. I am sad about this, but I am ready. I need my body back to myself! The best part? NO MORE PUMPING!!

I despise pumping. It only takes me about 15 minutes at home, but at work it's a different story. I keep my cooler in the freezer until I need it for my first "break" at 10am. When it's time (I have to plan my work around this as it is very difficult to leave an assay once I have begun), I go down one floor to the break room and grab my cooler. I head over to the office that I use, which is left unlocked all week for me. The only time I have to go retrieve the key is on Monday mornings. Then I pump, 10-15 minutes, and pack everything up. I go back to the break room, drop off the cooler in the fridge and head back up to the lab one floor up. Then, repeat at 2pm.

The whole process takes anywhere from 20-30 minutes. To make up for this missed time at work, I have shortened my lunch. For the most part, it is not a big deal. But there are days when it can be a bit annoying. Like when people are going out for lunch - no way can I do that in 30 minutes. Or the days when I really need to run errands, like going to the post office.

I have been very fortunate to have great help with the secretary finding me a private space to pump. Before I had Aiden, I tried to figure out where I was going to do this. I talked to one of the secretaries and she recommended the conference room. Although this public space does have a lock on the door, there are many people who have a key to that lock. I planned to lock the door and put a note that reads "Do not interrupt." I tried that ONCE and spent the ENTIRE time nervously staring at the door waiting for some dumb ass to come in anyway.

After that I started pumping in the car. Two problems here: 1) Travel time to my car increased my time away from work. 2) It was August in Texas and my AC does not work when the car is not in motion (stupid car).

Filled with frustration, I went to a different secretary to see if she had any further recommendations. Sure enough, she set me up with an empty office. I just had to go down to her office and grab the key every day. That worked great for a month or so, until the office had someone move into it. At which point, that wonderful secretary arranged for me to use a different office. I have felt so much more comfortable pumping in that private space.

Until yesterday. Here I am, sitting in that "private", locked office taking care of my mommy duties, as I like to call it, when I hear a key jiggling in the lock. I immediately ducked under the desk and screamed, "No! Don't come in!". The key stopped for a moment, then pulled out of the lock. My heart was racing.

At this point, I can only imagine what obscenities that janitor believes is going on in that office. I leave wipes (for cleaning the pump) in that trash can everyday! Oh and the looks I get from the private investigators sitting in the surrounding offices anyway! I'm sure they all heard me scream in that library-quiet area. They are probably doubly freaked out about what I might be doing in that office now. Ha!

Needless to say, the first feeding I'm dropping after the new year will be one of the two that occur during the work day.